


Basic Witch

by humapuma



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpine the Cat, Anal Sex, Bucky Barnes Feels, Fairy Tale Elements, Hydras are real, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, True Love's Kiss, Witchcraft, cap!steve - Freeform, steve is an idiot, witch!bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:00:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21764161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humapuma/pseuds/humapuma
Summary: Bucky jerked awake, covered in sweat and shaking. He cringed, remembering the way it sounded when the hydra’s teeth gnashed and bit down, crushing bone into nothing. Those screams were burned into his mind… but it hadn’t beenhisbody the creature was eating.He jumped out of bed and pulled last night’s clothes on before running out of his apartment, down the stairs, and out the door. He hadn’t even fed Alpine.He hit the street and sprinted toward the subway, just barely making it onto the next car heading to Manhattan.The entire forty-five minute ride, his leg bounced and he panted. People eyed him nervously and he realized that he probably looked like some junkie, but he didn’t care.He was on a mission – he was going to save Captain America.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 32
Kudos: 384





	Basic Witch

**Author's Note:**

> I blame dixons_mama for this happening... though I admit it was really fun to write.

Bucky jerked awake, covered in sweat and shaking. He cringed, remembering the way it sounded when the hydra’s teeth gnashed and bit down, crushing bone into nothing. Those screams were burned into his mind… but it hadn’t been _his_ body the creature was eating.

He rolled over, reached for his cell phone, and frantically typed his password in to unlock it. “Shit,” he cursed when he’d messed up for the third time. Huffing a breath, Bucky lifted his left hand and snapped his fingers, bypassing the lock screen with a flash.

Using Google, he searched for the address he needed – Stark Tower. He jumped out of bed and pulled last night’s clothes on before running out of his apartment, down the stairs, and out the door. He hadn’t even fed Alpine.

He hit the street and sprinted toward the subway, just barely making it onto the next car heading to Manhattan.

The entire forty-five minute ride, his leg bounced and he panted. People eyed him nervously and he realized that he probably looked like some junkie, but he didn’t care. He was on a mission – he was going to save Captain America.

Bucky’d been a witch for his entire life – it was a family trait. His mother could see spirits; his grandfather could move things with his mind, sometimes from miles away; and his great grandmother could predict the future. So far, Bucky had stuck to conjuration and enchantment, but he could do other things. Sometimes, he had premonitions but they weren’t usually so terrifying as this one.

In his dream, Captain America and a team of soldiers were in a hydra’s cave – a _real_ hydra. They were completely unprepared for such a fight and each of them were eaten, one by one. It ate Captain America last and Bucky could still hear his screams.

When his stop was called, he leapt up and rushed out the doors into the throngs of people. He pushed through as best he could but with so many people trying to board, he was making no progress. “Fuck this,” he muttered and snapped his fingers, immediately parting the group and allowing him to run straight to the stairs.

From there, he hailed a cab and continued panicking the entire drive to Stark Tower. He tossed cash through the partition and jumped out of the taxi, making his way through the large glass doors and rushing to the reception desk.

“I need to see Steve Rogers,” he said before the woman could even acknowledge his presence. “It’s an emergency.”

She tried to smile but he could tell she was concerned by the state of him, which he couldn’t fault her for. His hair was unkempt, his clothes were dirty, and he was quite sure that he smelled a little like a bar. He’d been out drinking with friends the night before since his shop wasn’t open on Fridays. “Do you… have an appointment?” She asked, though they both knew he didn’t.

“No, I-I don’t,” he explained. “I just – can you please just, like, _call him_ and ask if he’d meet with me? Or even talk to me on the phone? I just – he’s in danger, ma’am, I gotta warn him –”

“Sir?” a deep voice said, approaching from Bucky’s left. He was tall and had dark hair and eyes but Bucky recognized him immediately.

“You’re gonna die,” Bucky blurted out, eyes widening.

The man looked taken aback. “I’m SHIELD Agent Rumlow. Are you aware of a crime that is going to happen?”

“Oh, fuck,” Bucky muttered. “Not a… crime. Look, I just need to tell him something. It could save some lives.”

“Give me the information,” Rumlow demanded, “and I’ll see that it gets to him.”

Bucky shook his head. “No, I need to tell him myself. I… can explain it to him.”

“Should I call security?” the woman asked quietly but Rumlow put a hand up.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Sir, you can either give me the information or I can have you arrested.”

Bucky scoffed. “On _what charge_? Being a concerned citizen?”

“More like obstruction,” Rumlow sneered.

Frowning, Bucky shook his head. “I’m only giving this information to Steve Rogers.”

Rumlow was about to tackle him – or shoot him, maybe – when a voice Bucky would know anywhere spoke up. “Give me what information?”

Bucky gulped, turning to look over his shoulder at Steve Rogers – well, Captain America in his uniform. If he weren’t about to go storming to his death, he’d be Bucky’s walking wet dream – _oh right_ , Bucky thought, shaking himself.

“Um, Mr. Captain – er, Rogers –”

“Steve is fine,” he interrupted with a small smile that Bucky knew was meant to set him at ease but all it did was distress him more.

“Steve, you’re going to die,” he said in a rush and regretted that he hadn’t approached this entire conversation differently. Then again, _how_ could this conversation be done otherwise?

“Why do you think that I’m in danger?” Steve asked slowly and Bucky could feel that more was happening than this conversation. “It’s clearly important,” he went on. “You look like you sprinted here. What’s your name?”

Bucky glanced around, feeling more and more antagonism approaching. Taking deep breaths, he met Steve’s eyes; he held them, using a small amount of his magic to force Steve to focus only on him.

“I’m no one important. Just… Steve,” he said, stepping closer. “I know you won’t believe this but, please, just listen to me.”

“Alright,” Steve answered and blinked. Bucky gasped – Steve couldn’t feel any of his power?

“Well, shit,” he breathed. That wasn’t something he’d heard of before. The lobby was slowly filling with security, though Bucky wasn’t meant to know that. “I had a premonition.” Steve’s mouth twitched as if he were trying not to laugh but Bucky went on. He had never done anything so public before and he wasn’t sure what would happen after this. “You’re going to fight a hydra and it’s going to kill you and your entire team.”

Steve hesitated for a long moment before he finally laughed, which was something Bucky was far too accustomed to. People had laughed at him his entire life, just like they’d laughed at others in his family.

“Hydras aren’t real,” Steve answered, grinning. “Hydra was a Nazi organization and Nazis are what Captain America does best.”

Bucky grimaced. “Jesus.”

“Sir,” a voice called and Bucky turned slightly, finding a small man with a receding hairline there. “Put your hands up and get down on the ground.”

Bucky turned back to Steve and said, “Just don’t go on a mission today. That’s all I ask.”

Without waiting another moment, Bucky snapped his fingers and all of the security guards collapsed to the floor. Using that much energy wasn’t something Bucky liked to do – he tried to avoid it at all costs because it left him depleted but he’d had no choice.

Steve, however, remained standing with a look of total shock. His eyes drilled into Bucky with a fierceness that left him feeling terrified. Bucky bit his lip and backed up two steps, ignoring the wobble in his knees.

“ _Please_ , Steve,” he pleaded, “do not go on this mission. This one time,” he said, “just don’t.”

Steve wasn’t listening. “What _are_ you?”

Bucky shook his head. “I told you – I’m no one important.” Gritting his teeth, Bucky brought his left hand up again and snapped his fingers, _finally_ bringing Steve to the floor so Bucky could run.

He didn’t hesitate – he ran into the street and leapt over car hoods, then sprinted down the next block. Someone was following him – he could feel it before he heard the footsteps, but he wasn’t going to be able to use his magic again.

_If he spends the day chasing me,_ Bucky thought, _he won’t go after that hydra._

Suddenly, Bucky turned down an alley he recognized and hurried to an alcove featuring an ad for Palm Reading Services. “Gladys,” he called as he hurried into the back room.

A woman emerged. “Bu-”

“Shh-shh,” he hissed. “Let me in – let me in the sealed room. I’m all out, Gladys, I’m _out_ –”

“Say no more,” she whispered and dragged him by the arm, stopping only once they reached a large portrait of a decrepit old woman. Gladys waved her hand across the face and it transformed into a beautiful, smiling Victorian lady. “Open,” Gladys commanded just as they both heard the shop bell ring, announcing a customer.

Bucky rushed into the doorway that appeared behind the painting, pulling it shut behind him. For a short moment, he heard Gladys greet someone he knew to be Steve but then the sound faded completely. He took a few deep breaths, feeling the power flow through him before he pushed the door open, revealing a wholly different visage.

While Gladys’ shop was full of touristy crap, like fake skulls and large candles, Bucky’s store was more modern and inviting. He let the wall close behind him, completely concealing that there had been any opening at all.

Dragging himself up the stairs, Bucky unlocked the door to his loft and slipped inside, wincing at how everything had begun to ache. Alpine sauntered over and yowled at him, reminding Bucky that she’d missed breakfast. “Yeah,” he breathed, “I’ll get your food. I’m sorry, kid.”

Once she was happily munching her special brunch dish, Bucky forced himself to shower and change before collapsing on his bed for a much needed nap.

Which was interrupted by a repeat of his dream from the night before.

Snapping awake, Bucky growled, pounding his fists on his bed over and over. “You stupid shit, Rogers,” he hollered as if the man could hear him.

He yanked on clean clothes and hurried to his reading room downstairs. It was locked and enchanted so he couldn’t just snap his fingers, which would usually be a good thing. At that moment, however, it was _extremely_ inconvenient.

Fumbling with his keys over and over, Bucky finally opened the door and rushed inside. He lit the sole candle on the table and sat in his chair, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “Winifred,” he called out, “ma, you there? It’s Bucky. I need you.”

After a long moment, the candle flickered and a woman’s voice filled Bucky’s head. “ _You sure do, honey._ ”

“Funny, ma,” he mocked. “Steve Rogers is in danger and I need to find him.”

“ _Bucky, your powers are too depleted to do any good._ ”

“Which is why I’m about to ask for another _teeny_ favor,” he explained.

Her laughter was melodious and he missed it so much, but this wasn’t about that. “ _I should have known that was coming. I’ll talk to your grandpa, okay? But you know how he_ _feels about_ loans _._ ”

Bucky sighed. “Ma, this is _important_!”

“ _I know. First, the Captain is going into an old bunker… it’s linked to a cave system. We can d_ _irect_ _you_.”

He nodded his head. “Thank you. And?”

“ _We’re ready to help with that_ teeny _favor_ ,” she chuckled.

The transfer of power felt a lot like drinking twenty ounces of iced espresso with sugar and he gripped the table, shaking through it. He shouted in shock as he was filled with energy, faster than he was used to, and suddenly he felt like a live wire.

The spirit GPS was better than the everyday one, except it meant that his dead relatives were harassing him for his driving from beyond the grave. “ _You really should have turned there, sweetheart_ ,” his great grandmother said.

“ _No, ma, that was a one way_ ,” his dad explained patiently.

“Can just one of you give me directions, please?” Bucky pleaded.

“ _Aww, isn’t that sweet_?” she said. “ _He’s gotta save his Prince Charming_.”

“He’s not very charming, grandma,” Bucky argued but then frowned, wondering why she’d used that phrase. He didn’t have time to think about it much, though. It took way too long to get out of the city and into the country but he had to try.

When he finally parked in the spot his mother indicated, he stepped out of his car onto warm dirt. It was only then that he realized he wasn’t wearing any shoes and he grumbled to himself. “Fucking idiotic supersoldier, should’ve fucking listened to me, why the fuck am I doing this…”

The cave wasn’t difficult to find – especially with the magical energy seeping out of it. Hydras were very powerful creatures and it emanated from them constantly, allowing most animals to recognize them and stay away.

Humans, however, didn’t seem to register it unless they were magical beings themselves.

He used his cell phone flashlight to decrease the likelihood that he’d slip and fall, or crack his head as he made his way into the cave. His feet were definitely going to be sore after this but he knew his options: move slowly and step carefully _or_ rescue Captain America from the jaws of death.

There wasn’t much of a choice, really.

It was only a few minutes before he heard the shouts and screams, so Bucky picked up his pace. He could feel the fear and pain filling the cavern, reminding him of his dream. Unfortunately, in his rush, he tripped over a rock and fell on his face, smashing his phone on the ground in the process.

“Fuck!” He winced as he stood back up but he forced himself to get moving again. “Steve!” He shouted, desperately, trying to hurry. If his dream was accurate, Steve would be the last to die, which wasn’t much of a comfort for Bucky. He came around a corner and saw light up ahead. “Steve, I’m coming!”

Making his way there took longer than he’d hoped but, when he rounded the corner, he gasped. The hydra had grown four heads – probably from Steve throwing his stupid Frisbee around – and it had already eaten a few soldiers, if the guns and torn clothing was any indication, but Steve was still there.

He was standing – dumbstruck – watching it all unfold and Bucky sighed. “Idiot,” he grumbled, running forward as one of the hydra’s many mouths closed in on him. Bucky ran between them, holding up his left hand with his palm wide open, and he shouted an incantation that sent the hydra head flying backward.

It screamed as it collided with the top of the cavern hard enough to knock it out – but also hard enough that the ceiling rumbled and large rocks began to fall. “Oh, fuck,” Bucky yelped. He turned and grabbed Steve’s arm, noting the blood and bruising on his face below the helmet. “We gotta go!”

Steve’s eyes were wide, still staring up at the creature as it screamed and tried to evade falling rocks. “It’s – it’s _real_ ,” he muttered. “That’s an _actual_ hydra.”

Rolling his eyes, Bucky shouted, “Yeah, it’s a real fucking hydra that’s pissed off and probably gonna kill us both now, you stupid punk!” Bucky jerked on him again. “If the fucking ceiling doesn’t collapse on us first, now _move!_ ”

Something snapped in Steve then and he nodded, taking Bucky’s hand and running toward the cave Bucky had come from. They made it just before heavy rocks fell over the entrance, but Bucky dared not look back. He could hear more rocks falling and knew that they might not make it out, knew that this might be it for both of them.

_If only I’d been here sooner_ , he thought, then corrected, _If only this idiot had listened to me_!

Steve lurched to a stop and Bucky slammed into him, though it made no difference to Steve. Bucky, on the other hand, had the wind knocked out of him. He was about to scream at Steve when he shouted, “Hold on!” He lifted that ridiculous shield above their heads protecting them as debris crashed down in front and behind them.

Bucky grit his teeth and snapped his fingers, creating a small bubble around them, which was all he dared to make for fear he’d pass out. It was nearly a minute more before the rocks stopped falling and Steve could stand them both up again. They could see sunlight pouring through a crack in the rocks but it was far too small to allow them to fit through.

That didn’t stop Steve from trying, though. He punched and pulled the debris, used his shield, and tried to lift it, but was unsuccessful. In fact, after a few hits, the rocks all around them groaned in protest.

“Shit,” he muttered, then raised his right hand to his ear. “This is Rogers. Anybody copy?” He tried again and again before sighing. “No one can hear me.”

Panting, Bucky asked, “How long can you be overdue before SHIELD sends backup?”

Steve frowned, turning to look at him. “Thirty-six hours.”

Bucky sighed. “Well… shit.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his cell phone, only to discover the entire screen was busted. “Fuck,” he muttered.

At a loss for what to do, he reached out and touched the stone, trying to feel for loose rocks elsewhere. Although he didn’t want to mess with it very much, for fear the entire thing would collapse on them.

“What _are_ you?” Steve demanded after a few moments, pointing to the cave they’d escaped from. “How did you know about – about that _thing_?”

“I told you, I’m –”

“‘No one important,’ yeah I got that,” he snapped. “Can you cut the bullshit and tell me who you are? _Please_?”

Bucky frowned, trying to think of a reason to keep it hidden. “I… I’m a witch,” he finally said, looking away. “I had a… a premonition that you died – that the hydra killed you.”

Steve swallowed. “A-and you… wanted to save me.”

Gesturing around them, Bucky replied, “I did a shit job, if you ask me.”

Steve looked Bucky up and down. “So… what does it mean to be a witch? Are you, like, a wizard, like Stephen Strange?”

Bucky stared at him, trying to decide if that comparison was offensive or not. Yes, Strange was well known for his powers but, well, he was also an _asshole_.

“Sort of, yeah,” he finally answered after a moment.

“So, can’t you, I don’t know – can’t you just – just _spell_ us out of here?”

“ _Spell us_?” Bucky groaned. “Look, pal, I can’t ‘spell’ anyone anywhere. I _drove_ my stupid ass here to save your life.”

Steve blinked behind his helmet. “You drive? Like... A car?”

“What the hell else would I drive?” Bucky exclaimed. “A broomstick? You seriously need some help talking to people.”

“Sorry…” Steve muttered. “I don’t spend much time with… people not on my Strike Team.”

Bucky scoffed, spinning around to glare at the boulder behind him. “That’s pretty obvious, pal.”

He turned to continue arguing but all of his anger died when he saw the profound sadness on Steve’s face. He was frowning, looking down at his feet. He unhooked the chin strap of his helmet and pulled it off, revealing more injuries that Bucky hadn’t been able to see before. Even behind the darkening bruises and dirt, Bucky was still struck by how beautiful Steve was.

“Shit,” he whispered and sighed, letting his head droop. “I shouldn’t have said that. I… get that it isn’t every day you meet a real witch, so…” He sat down on the collapsed rock, brushing the hair out of his face.

“So?” Steve asked and Bucky looked up, finding an... almost hopeful expression.

With a small smile, Bucky explained, “I don’t have a broomstick but I do own a magic shop in Brooklyn.” He stretched his neck and added, “And I live in a loft above it.”

“What’s it called?” Steve asked, face broken out in a smile. “Your shop.”

“You’ll laugh,” Bucky said.

“No, I won’t,” Steve promised.

Holding his gaze for a long moment, Bucky finally answered, “Basic Witch.”

Steve pursed his lips, clearly trying hard to hold his amusement in. “Basic Witch?” He confirmed. “Do you have pumpkin spice year round?”

“Okay,” Bucky tried but Steve went on.

“Is it always fall?”

“Alright, Steve –”

“Do you enchant Ugg boots? Are you wearing – wait, you don’t have any shoes on,” Steve observed.

Looking down, Bucky realized one of his feet was bleeding and he sighed. “No, I forgot ‘em because I was in such a hurry to get to you.”

Steve met Bucky’s gaze. “ _Why_?” he asked. “I was… wow, I was _such_ a jerk to you.”

Bucky laughed, nodding his head. “Yeah, you were, but…” He looked away, avoiding Steve’s eyes. “Would you let someone die just because they laughed in your face?”

Even though he wasn’t looking, he could still see Steve wince. “I’m… I’m really sorry.” He took a couple steps closer. “Um…?”

Glancing up, Bucky found Steve was waiting for him to answer. “Oh, it’s James – James Barnes, but…” He paused and stood up. “Well, we might die here, so you can call me Bucky.”

“Bucky,” Steve repeated. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Steve Rogers.” He leaned forward and extended his hand for Bucky to shake, which he did.

“A pleasure,” Bucky said.

Steve beamed at him as if they weren’t both trapped under who knew how much rock, as if they weren’t both going to die of thirst or suffocation. He smiled like Bucky mattered. It was at that moment that Bucky realized what convinced all those people to follow this man and risk their lives – back in the forties and now.

Steve _genuinely_ cared about people and wanted to do the right thing. He regretted insulting Bucky and sincerely apologized for it. He was acting as if Bucky had saved him, as if he hadn’t done more than delay the inevitable.

Bucky let his hand drop, though he’d noticed that they had both held on a bit longer than was usual. Sighing, he walked over to where the light poured into the caved in area. He touched the stone and tried to reach through, tried to feel beyond it but there was nothing.

“This is Rogers! Can you hear me?” Steve shouted suddenly, startling Bucky. He turned and found Steve’s gloved hand pressed to his ear. “Yes, there was a cave in. I’m trapped beneath the rubble with someone. No, not a Strike Team member. I don’t know if there are any other survivors.” He listened for a few seconds then continued. “Is my transmitter active?”

Bucky couldn’t hear the response but judging from the way Steve’s face fell, he could assume it was _not_. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he walked over. “My car is parked about a mile away. It has GPS.”

Steve’s eyes went wide and he said, “Did you hear that? It's James Barnes. His vehicle is nearby… you got it?” His eyes closed in relief. “They’re on the way,” he explained to Bucky. “ETA is seven minutes.”

Bucky scoffed, turning and sitting on the rock again. “When my shop got robbed last year, it took thirty minutes for the cops to get there, but a national icon gets trapped under rubble, and they scramble everybody.”

Steve chuckled, digging the earpiece out and letting it rest on his shoulder. “Yeah, well, it has its benefits, I suppose.”

Bucky smiled. “More cons than pros, I take it?”

Steve walked over and sat next to him, though the boulder wasn’t built for two men of their size. Shrugging, he replied, “I guess it depends on how you define them.”

Nudging Steve’s shoulder with his own, Bucky said, “How do _you_ define them?”

“I suppose I… I feel lucky to be alive,” Steve answered, though his face didn’t hold any joy. “I never thought I’d see thirty, let alone the twenty-first century.”

Bucky watched Steve as he spoke, noting that his eyes seemed vacant, as if this were the same story he’d told hundreds, maybe thousands of people. Reaching over, Bucky touched Steve’s cheek gently, though he had no idea where the impulse had even arisen from.

“You can feel lucky to have survived and still not be _happy_ with your life, Steve.”

Their eyes met and Bucky was struck by how much emotion was suddenly on display for him to see. Steve’s eyes held a deep sorrow, one that Bucky could never understand. He’d lost loved ones – hell, he was completely on his own – but everything that Steve had ever _known_ was gone.

“You don’t have to be Captain America all the time. You know that, right?”

Steve frowned. “Captain America isn’t something I _become_. He isn’t the suit, Buck. He was injected and irradiated into my skin and muscle.”

Shaking his head, Bucky shifted his body to face Steve a little more. “When you joined the Army all those years ago, you figured you were still going to die, right?” Steve swallowed but didn’t answer. “Did you ever allow yourself to imagine what would happen when the war ended? What you could do with the life you’d been granted?”

“Bucky, I wasn’t granted this to sit on my ass or play golf. I was given the serum to win the war.”

“And the war _ended_ ,” Bucky emphasized.

Steve shook his head. “There’s always another war, Buck.”

“Another war that you believe in?” Bucky countered and Steve’s mouth closed. “Every other soldier who joined up got to go home. You were given the serum but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t considered Uncle Sam’s property too. You know how much money goes into training and arming military personnel? Probably a _lot_.” He’d kept his hand up, touching Steve’s face, holding his gaze. “The ones who survived got to go home to their families and friends, have kids, and live their lives. Why do you think you aren’t just as deserving as them?”

Steve’s eyes were wide as Bucky spoke, though he hardly seemed to notice that they were still touching. Really, Bucky hadn’t noticed either. It was then that Bucky realized how close they were sitting, that he’d leaned in. He began to let his arm drop, to pull away, but Steve’s hand darted out and snatched his wrist, pressing it back where it had been. It was only a second before he pressed into Bucky’s hand; breathing a deep sigh, he let his eyes fall shut.

Something strange was happening; Bucky felt his magic crackling, like it had been set ablaze. He’d never felt this much power before and he knew it was coming from their connection. “Steve,” Bucky whispered and Steve opened his eyes. “I can help get us out.”

Blinking, Steve asked, “What?”

“I can…” He took a few deep breaths, feeling as if he might burst.

“Captain Rogers!” A voice called. “Are you there?”

Steve was about to respond when Bucky pulled him in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. This was _old_ magic – fairy tale crap – but it worked. Steve’s body glowed with the power they were sharing and Bucky tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

Steve kissed back and Bucky hoped it wasn’t just out of shock that he did so, though he somehow doubted they’d ever meet again. When they separated, they were both out of breath and flushed.

“You can move the rocks now,” Bucky panted. “I’ll help you.”

Steve’s eyes were hazy but he nodded, standing up and walking toward the light. “We’re here!” He shouted, pulling his helmet back on and buckling it.

He pressed the shield against the boulder there, planted his feet, and pushed. There was a moment of silence before a deep rumble echoed through the small cavern, then the light began to spread. Steve grunted as he stepped forward, using his entire body to move what Bucky could only imagine was tons of stone.

Bucky approached slowly from behind and put his hands on Steve’s shoulders, watching as the glow swelled. He didn’t add physical pressure; instead, he closed his eyes and let that crackling magic move through him and into Steve.

“We’ve found them!” A voice shouted from the surface but neither Bucky nor Steve paid attention. “Captain Rogers, we’ll get you out! Don’t try to – _holy shit_!”

Bucky heard a thump as the man fell backwards. The rocks began to move faster, the large boulder that Steve was pushing drove forward. He must have looked a bit like Sisyphus but, this time, the rock did not roll back down. As the paramedics and agents watched, Steve lifted the boulder off of the ground and dropped it outside the hole he’d created.

He was covered in dirt and grime, sweat, and blood. He stood in the sunshine and panted for a long moment, then he turned around and took Bucky’s hands to pull him out as well. After such a display of strength, Bucky was startled by Steve’s gentleness. Before either of them could speak, they were separated; agents rushed over and demanded Steve’s statement while an EMT dragged Bucky to the emergency vehicle.

They bandaged his feet and placed a steri-strip on his eyebrow where he’d been bleeding, though he didn’t know when he’d been hit. “You should come to the hospital,” the EMT suggested but Bucky shook his head.

“No, I’m just gonna go home,” he said, slipping out the ambulance’s open door. “Thank you.”

He hobbled toward his car, refusing to look back. This had been a ridiculous day and he knew that he’d never see Steve again. There was a reason that all that _True Love’s First Kiss_ magic was considered a fairy tale – no one believed in that anymore. He couldn’t deny that he’d felt it but that didn’t mean that Steve had.

No, Bucky knew that this was it. He’d done what he’d set out to do; he’d saved Captain America.

The drive back to the city was slower somehow; definitely quieter than it had been. He was filled with a sadness he didn’t want to examine too deeply, knowing he could easily find the root of it.

“ _I’m sorry, honey_ ,” Winifred’s voice whispered to him.

Bucky’s lip trembled as he fought back the tears. “Did you know?”

She hesitated for a moment but Bucky didn’t actually need her answer. “ _Yes._ ”

“Is that why I had that dream?” he asked, swiping the tears off of his face.

“ _Yes_ ,” she answered. “ _There had been other attempts to put you in his path but they’d failed._ ”

A sob erupted out of Bucky’s throat. “Oh, my God,” he wept, ignoring that all of his dead family could hear him blubbering like a baby.

He’d met his true love and lost him all in the same day.

By the time he arrived at his shop, he’d cried himself dry, ending in heaving sobs that hurt almost as much as his heart did. He climbed the stairs and let himself into the loft, finding Alpine there, waiting for him. “Hi, kid,” he whispered, scratching her head as he passed by.

He took his second shower of the day, hissing as the hot water touched his forehead and feet. The water quickly turned filthy as the blood and dirt washed away. Scrubbing his scalp turned out to be an adventure – he found small rocks and twigs, as well as a chunk of hydra flesh.

“Gross,” he whined, dropping it to the ground with a start.

Once he was thoroughly clean, he ordered Chinese food and collapsed onto his couch; he navigated to Netflix and turned on a dumb comedy that he hoped would distract him. He ate way too much food and drank one too many glasses of wine before he fell asleep right there, on his sofa.

He woke with a crick in his neck and a bit of a hangover the next morning. Dry toast and forty ounces of water was his secret – or so he told people. Instead, he made a tincture with a little bit of magic in it, then drank three cups of black coffee to wash down the taste.

After he brushed his teeth, he pulled his hair into a bun and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, then he made his way downstairs to open the shop, carrying a big mug of hot tea. He unlocked the door right at nine and checked the shelves for anything amiss.

While normal people viewed his shop as an oddity, one that they might browse and chuckle at, he actually had a large client base. Wiccans, witches, warlocks, monster hunters, and so on. He even received the occasional wizard, which was also surprising.

Sipping his tea, he started reviewing his inventory and, after a while, his first customer came in. Though he didn’t really know why, he was actually surprised to find that the world went right on spinning after his heart had been so wholly shattered. Several of his regulars came in to pick up orders or procure ingredients they needed and, while a few asked if he was okay, the majority of them hardly noticed.

As the evening came on, Bucky cleaned up the store; he swept the floor and wiped the counter down, cleaned up the shelves, and cleaned the items people touched the most. When he finally locked the door, he just stood there, waiting for… something. He lied to himself, imagining he was just checking to make sure no other customers were coming.

In the back of his mind, he knew he was waiting for Steve.

After he’d been standing there for several minutes, he sighed and turned around, heading toward the stairs. The rest of that week went much the same. Every night, he held Alpine and wept into her fur until she yowled and ran away, then he’d drink some wine and fall asleep. He was open every day but Friday and when Thursday finally came around, he was completely run down.

He dragged through his shower in the morning, washing his hair and face. Once he got out, he tugged his wet hair into a french braid, squeezing the excess moisture out before he got dressed. Something felt different about that day, something he couldn’t really explain. He was exhausted and sad still, but there was excitement in his chest. _M_ _aybe I’m getting over him,_ Bucky thought, though he didn’t have much hope in that.

Going to his dresser, he pulled out a light grey sweater and some dark jeans, then added a flashy infinity scarf. He checked Alpine’s water as she ate her breakfast, then he brewed a cup of black tea to take down to the shop with him.

As he walked through the door, Alpine began yowling loudly at him, forcing him to turn around. But, when he leaned down to pat her, she sniffed his hand and ran away. “That was weird,” he murmured to himself as he stood up and made his way down the stairs.

He set his mug on the counter and turned to go unlock the door when he stopped in his tracks. Steve was at the door, wearing a brown leather jacket and jeans; he was looking up the street, obviously waiting for the store to open. Bucky blinked, sure that he was confused, or hallucinating – _Did I_ _have_ _the_ _wrong_ _mushrooms_ _in_ _my salad_ _last night_?

Before he even moved to unlock the door, Bucky took a nervous swallow of his tea. He approached slowly, hoping that Steve might not see him, though he wasn’t sure what he thought that would accomplish. His hand shook when he turned the lock; he looked up to find Steve’s eyes on him.

Opening the door, Bucky stepped back to allow Steve to enter. “Um, good morning.”

“Hey, Buck,” Steve answered, smiling as he walked in.

“H-how did you find me?” Bucky asked as the door shut.

Steve chuckled, turning to him. “You told me the name of your shop. It wasn’t hard to find.”

“Oh,” Bucky said, shaking his head, “right. I forgot.” He cleared his throat and gestured to the store. “This is Basic Witch.”

Nodding his head, Steve replied, “It definitely smells like pumpkin spice in here.”

Bucky laughed and pushed Steve’s ridiculously large bicep. “Shut up, it does not.” Once he realized what he’d done, though, he yanked his hand back and pressed it against his chest. Turning, he rushed back toward the counter. “Is, uh, is everything okay?”

Steve followed behind him; when Bucky glanced back, Steve was looking around curiously. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

Bucky gulped. “Okay, what can I do for you?” He leaned his back against the counter, trying to appear nonchalant. “Are you in the market for, um, some tarot cards or maybe you want to conjure an image from your memories?”

Steve chuckled and took another step forward. “No, thank you. My memory is perfect and I don’t want to relive any of it.”

Rounding the counter to put some space between them, Bucky said, “I have a variety of teas, too. You’re welcome to look around.”

“Actually,” Steve said, standing in front of the counter, “I came to… to see you.”

Bucky bit his lip, feeling his face and neck break out in the splotchy, unattractive blush he hated so much. “O-oh?”

“Yeah.” Steve’s smile had faded from its usual brilliance to a shy one that Bucky knew he could love. “Buck, when… when we were in that cave,” Steve began, “when you kissed me, I felt… something.”

Bucky swallowed. “It was… my magic. I was… sharing it with you.”

“No offense,” Steve said, “but you’re lying.”

“I’m not… really,” Bucky tried but it was clear Steve wasn’t having it.

“Do you always try to deflect like this?” he asked, grinning at Bucky with fondness. “Look, I came here to ask if you’d like to go on a date.” Bucky’s mouth dropped open. “With me.”

“But, Steve, I’m a –”

“What?” Steve asked. “A witch? Or a guy?”

“Both!” Bucky exclaimed.

Steve nodded and began to round the counter. “I’ll be honest,” he said, “I was pretty thrown by how attracted I am to you.”

Bucky couldn’t believe this – he couldn’t believe it at all. As Steve moved closer to him, he backed up, though not out of fear or discomfort. He was merely convinced that this was a dream, one he didn’t want to wake up from.

However, when Steve’s hand reached up and touched Bucky’s cheek, he _knew_ it was real. He sighed and leaned into it, feeling heavy tears beginning to fall. All those nights of heartache and Steve was here.

“I missed you,” Steve whispered, wiping Bucky’s cheeks gently. “I hardly know you and I _missed_ you.”

“I missed you too,” Bucky answered.

Steve frowned. “I would’ve been here that day if SHIELD hadn’t yanked me into debriefings and meetings to discuss that _thing_.”

“It’s okay,” Bucky shushed him. “You’re here now.”

Steve pulled Bucky against him, wrapping him up in his arms. “Would you… would you like to go get some breakfast? I know your shop’s open but –”

“That sounds really nice,” Bucky interrupted, smiling. “I’ll lock up.” He quickly wrote out a sign that said ‘Closed For the Day, Call In Emergency,’ and taped it to the door.

They walked to a small place with nice tables outside and spent the next few hours talking and getting to know one another. Their connection was so intense, though, that Bucky struggled to focus on mundane topics. He struggled to focus on anything apart from Steve’s bulging muscles, or his full lips. He wondered if Steve was affected by it too; his eyes kept darting to Bucky’s mouth or to the skin revealed by the deep v-neck of his sweater once he’d removed his scarf.

As they talked, they seemed to lean closer together; their feet nudged against each other; and their hands bumped over and over again on the table. By the time the server brought their check, Bucky thought he might vibrate out of his skin.

Steve dropped cash on the table and breathed, “Can I walk you back?”

Bucky nodded his head. “Please.”

Before Bucky’d even locked the door, Steve’s hands were on him, gripping his waist and reaching around to feel his chest. His hot breath blew over Bucky’s neck, sending shivers down his spine. It had been _such a long time_ since someone had touched him this way but it felt so different this time.

“Oh, my God,” Bucky groaned, leaning back against Steve’s chest, knowing he’d be able to take the weight.

Steve’s lips pressed gently against the skin just above his shirt collar and Bucky’s knees went weak. “Is this okay?” Steve asked, pausing all of his movements but not letting go.

“Yes,” Bucky breathed. “Take me upstairs.”

That was all the encouragement Steve seemed to need as he spun Bucky around and lifted him bodily up by his thighs, carrying him through the store. All the way, he pressed harsh, unrelenting kisses to Bucky’s neck and along the collar of his shirt. Once they ascended, Steve released Bucky’s left thigh for a moment to open the door and Bucky realized he hadn’t locked it.

When Alpine had interrupted him that morning, he’d forgotten to lock the door.

… the sly little minx…

“Bedroom?” Steve asked and Bucky pointed to the hallway. Steve followed his direction and in no time at all, he set Bucky on the bed and crawled over him. “Do you have a… preference?” he breathed.

Bucky shook his head. “I-I switch.” He flashed a shy grin. “Never could pick a favorite.”

Steve smiled. “I’m much more of a top but I’d be willing to… explore more..”

Bucky nodded. “I’d like that but… next time?” He smoothed his hands up the length of Steve's body, paying special attention to his chest. “Right now, I want you to fuck me.”

For a moment, Steve’s eyes went wide. “Buck, I…” He hesitated, looking away. “I – the way my body is built, it… it won’t be just once but once is _enough_.” Taking a deep breath, he added, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Bucky chuckled a little and pulled Steve’s shoulders until he was lying between Bucky’s thighs. “I’m not superpowered like you are,” he whispered, “but I’m not like normal people.” He let his lips ghost across Steve’s, pulling back when Steve leaned forward to capture them. “I can take it.”

Steve’s breath hitched and his entire body shivered before he dug his hand in Bucky’s hair, pulling him into a kiss. Bucky felt sparks in his veins as the magic crackled in the air around them. He didn’t know if Steve could feel it but he couldn’t bring himself to wonder very much, especially when Steve’s tongue traced his bottom lip.

Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck, gripping Steve’s hair, and moaned a long, desperate sound. “Shit, Bucky,” Steve hissed between kisses but he didn’t stop.

They couldn’t stop.

Everything was on fire and it was the most incredible experience. This magic was old and powerful – it flowed through them as they slowly and carefully undressed one another. By the time Bucky felt like he might burst, they were both naked and Steve was rolling him onto his belly and straddling his thighs.

“Fuck, Bucky,” Steve murmured, running both hands over Bucky’s ass cheeks.

Before Steve even asked, Bucky pointed to the bedside table. Inside, Steve located the half-empty bottle of lube and leaned back again. Bucky shivered at the way Steve’s dick slid over his skin, giving him a small hint of what was to come.

“Want you,” Bucky breathed. “Please, Steve, please.”

In the next moment, a slippery finger was pressing against his ass and he gasped, trying to push against it. When Steve’s first finger was all the way inside, Bucky groaned, letting his head drop against the comforter. Steve took his time opening Bucky up – slow and gentle movements that left Bucky feeling lightheaded and desperate.

By the time Steve was working three fingers in and out with little resistance, Bucky was whimpering into the bed. He tried to grind his hips, aching for some relief, but Steve’s weight on his thighs, coupled with his hand settled against Bucky’s lower back, made it nearly impossible for him to move.

“ _Steve_ ,” he whined. “Please, please. I need you. Waited for this.”

Steve’s breath hitched. “I’ve waited for you too,” he admitted, slipping his fingers free but then he seemed to hesitate. “I… I’ll wear a condom if you want me to,” he offered but Bucky shook his head.

“You’re a supersoldier and I’m magical, baby,” he teased. “Want you to come inside me.”

Steve released a choked out moan that made Bucky shiver, but he didn’t ask again. Instead, he adjusted them so Bucky’s thighs were spread wide and he knelt between them. There was a pause before Bucky felt the head of Steve’s dick pressing against him, then slipping inside him _finally_.

“Oh, fuck,” Bucky hissed, feeling the stretch even after all of Steve’s gentle preparation, but it was _so good_.

Steve released a deep, growling moan as he bottomed out, then he spread his own thighs a bit more, which pushed Bucky’s legs wider. Steve planted his hands on either side of Bucky’s body and began to pull out slowly before thrusting in again. He took his time to build up to a pace that wasn’t absolutely driving Bucky insane, but it was worth it.

It was worth _everything_.

“Oh, my God, Steve,” Bucky cried out when Steve finally began fucking him in earnest. “Show me,” he breathed. “Show me what you’re capable of. I can take it.” Steve let out a harsh gasp but his next thrust pushed Bucky up the bed. He’d never taken a pounding quite like it but, after barely a few moments, he was crying out, “P-please, wanna come, so close, Steve, please –”

“Come on,” Steve coaxed in a deep rasp. “Give it to me.”

Bucky buried his shout in the bedding as his come pulsed out of him, spilling onto the blanket. Steve continued to fuck him just as hard as he had been before and Bucky never wanted it to end.

It did, however, and he whined as Steve pulled out of him suddenly. However, he simply took hold of Bucky’s hip and shoulder and flipped him onto his back before lining up and sliding back inside. “Oh, fuck,” Bucky gasped, wrapping his legs around Steve’s back. “God, yes,” he breathed as Steve began thrusting hard again. “Show me, show me, just like that.”

Steve held one of Bucky’s shoulders and then disentangled his legs, throwing one of them over his shoulder. The shift in angle was almost too much but Bucky knew he could handle that _and_ more. The intensity of the magic in the air was clearly affecting Steve as much as it was Bucky, though his supersoldier body did have significant amounts of stamina.

“Oh, f-fuck,” Bucky whined, arching his back.

Steve gripped Bucky’s waist and lifted him off the bed, pistoning his hips fast and hard as he fucked Bucky like he’d never been fucked in his life.

“So good,” Steve panted. “Never knew it could be this good.”

“Don’t hold back,” Bucky pleaded. “I want all of it.”

At that, Steve let out a sob; he thrust one last time, bending Bucky in half, and pinning him down with his entire body as he came inside him. They remained there, panting and sweaty, for several moments, all while Steve pressed small kisses to Bucky’s neck and chest.

There was something apologetic in them that Bucky didn’t like and he new what the reason was. “You’re not done,” he whispered. “I want it all. Will you give it to me, Steve? Please?”

Steve gasped against Bucky’s skin before he pulled out a bit, then thrust back in. “You want more?” Steve rasped. “Y-you gotta tell me if it’s too much.”

“I will,” Bucky answered, “I promise. _Please_. I can take it. I _want_ it.”

Steve’s hesitation dissipated slowly but surely as he continued fucking Bucky into the mattress. He adjusted them so both of Bucky’s legs were over his arms and he held Bucky open as he watched himself sliding in and out. It was _obscene_ but Bucky had never wanted anything more. He had shaken through another orgasm, having dug his nails into Steve’s skin until he was sure there would be blood there, though not for long.

When Steve came again, he buried his cries in Bucky’s neck as he pulsed deep into Bucky’s body. After a short moment, he began moving again. Bucky felt like a live wire, like each thrust against his prostate sent shocks through his entire body. He’d never experienced anything like it and knew that, when it was over, he’d _need_ it again.

He felt his own orgasm impending and threw his head back. “G-gonna – fuck, Steve, I’m gonna come.”

“For me, Buck,” Steve rasped.

Nodding, Bucky breathed, “It’s all for you,” before he choked out a moan, coming all over his chest again.

Distantly, he heard Steve murmur, “All mine.”

Steve continued fucking Bucky through two, maybe even three more orgasms but Bucky completely lost track. He was lost to the intensity of the experience, of the pleasure, and he knew it could only get _better_.

“Uhn, fuck, Bucky, gonna come,” Steve groaned, slamming into Bucky hard as he came again.

Bucky felt wetness all over around him and he could no longer remember how many times Steve had come inside him. Steve pressed sweet kisses to Bucky’s lips, ignoring how sweaty they both were, though Bucky didn’t mind.

Somehow, it felt as though the magic had faded a bit and, with it, so did Steve’s erection. Smiling dopily, Bucky asked, “How many?”

Steve chuckled as he slowly pulled out, kissing Bucky’s forehead when he winced. “Five,” he answered after a moment.

Bucky’s head dropped to the mattress. “Jesus.”

Grinning, Steve kissed him again. “You, uh… you hungry again?”

Bucky laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I could definitely eat.”

“Good,” Steve replied, slipping off the bed and heading toward the open bathroom door. “We’ll need our energy for more.”

Sitting up, Bucky called out, “ _More_?”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> Sidenote - I'm sorry to everyone who is waiting for me to update my WIP. I'm so sorry. I am working on it. I have several chapters written but don't want to update and then have nothing to post. :( Sorry again :( Thanks for your patience.
> 
> Find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/humapuma817) or [tumbler](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/humapuma)!


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